I’d try to make an “Inverse” joke here, but I don’t really feel up to it today. Instead, here is another set of twopolls of interesting songs in the tournament, that starts of with an interesting bang, I think.BLR1P1

Guren no Yumiya (Shingeki no Kyoujin OP)

Crazy PV, this.

I think I might have been smoking something when I made this song one of my four semifinalists, since I was riding on the popularity that Attack on Titan had at the time. And that the TV version of the song is pretty good. While this isn’t a bad song, it does a lot of stuff that might get old after a couple of rounds. That being said, really enjoy the urgency, as well as the rocking twin-guitar riffs about 60% through the song, and of course the intro to the song.

Heartbreaking Romance (Hatenkou Yuugi OP)

This is a single where to me, the B-side blows the main single out of the water:

The techno-tinged pop background music of the OP doesn’t really work for me so much, although Kanako Itou’s voice works well with the song. It’s just that she’s done better with better musical accompaniment.

Which Do I Want to Win: Guren no YumiyaWhich Do I Think Will Win: Guren no YumiyaWhy? Recency bias, familiarity, and song quality (at least, that’s my bias speaking).

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Yasashisa no Riyuu (Hyouka OP 1)

If the song was just ChouCho’s vocals, the guitar, piano, and percussion of the first couple of seconds of the song, as well as the first seconds of each verse, I would probably like how this song comes together more, than pouring everything on and making the song sound like something that I’ve heard plenty of time before and didn’t care about. A nice song, though.

Aishiteru (Zoku Natsume Yuujin-Chou ED)

Kourin’s voice is subdued in this song, and given the slow, tender instrumentation behind her, it fits well. But it leads to another sort-of underwhelming song though, as the poignancy doesn’t have as much impact as it “should”.

Which Do I Want to Win: PushWhich Do I Think Will Win: Yasashisa no RiyuuWhy? Recency bias?

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Brothers (Fullmetal Alchemist insert song)

This poll is a tough one for me, as I’m a fan of both songs here. Here we have what sounds like a Russian children’s choir BEPA being accompanied by very moving background accompaniment from Michiru Oshima, and if you listened to this song during the show proper, it was always for very powerful, touching moments in the show. If anything, some of the children might not have strong enough vocals when solo tied to this song, but hey. They’re kids.

Monochrome ~ version de l’apprivoiser (Star Driver insert song)

This is the first of the “theme songs” we hear from each of the four directional maidens in the song, in this case belonging to the North Maiden, “Sakana-chan”. This was probably the most powerful track for me in the entire soundtrack (which is a solid enough listen), as Haruka Tomatsu’s voice soloing to start with before the main musical theme hits gave me good chills as the main battle theme, especially when Takuto called out Tauburn while the song was going on. The main version is not bad as a pop song, but this version is by far the better one for me. That being said…

Which Do I Want to Win: Monochrome – L’apprivoiser versionWhich Do I Think Will Win: BrothersWhy? Nostalgia bias. More people know of FMA than Star Driver, and I think that’s what hurts it the most.

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My Dearest (Guilty Crown OP 1)

This is probably my favorite supercell song in general. While each of the various vocalists involved with ryo work well this music, I feel like Koeda’s voice fits the power and urgency of the background music well, and the seamlessness of the two elements works better for me than all other works I’ve heard from the group. It probably also helps that ryo doesn’t throw quite as much “emotive piano” into this work than I’ve heard from other works for me. I really love when everything comes together in the chorus.

Sakura Kiss (Ouran High School Host ClubOP)

This peppy, poppy OP brings back memories for me. A solid song, and fun to listen to every once in a while.

Which Do I Want to Win: My DearestWhich Do I Think Will Win: My DearestWhy? Recency bias and song quality. It’s hard to move from the power of “My Dearest” to the lovey-dovey pop of “Sakura Kiss”, and in this case, I don’t want to try. If the latter was a stronger song, I think that nostalgia bias would help carry it, but it’s not enough here.

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Tori no Uta (AIR OP)

Both songs here are techno-laced, and it’s a matter of whether or not you prefer the slow, trying-to-be poignant styles of the music that accompanies Lia’s voice, or the more uptempo, rocking style of the latter song. “Tori no Uta” becomes a little repetitive and a little too long for me, but it’s not bad at all. Just not my cup of tea.

Hishoku no Sora (Shakugan no Shana OP 1)

This song sung by Mami Kawada isn’t necessarily my preference either, as I’ve heard better arrangements in I’ve Sound from this tournament even. It also doesn’t end up being very imaginative as well here, but still a solid song.

Which Do I Want to Win: PushWhich Do I Think Will Win: Tori no UtaWhy? Emotional preference? Something that tries to tug at the heartstrings more? I don’t know.

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Period (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OP 4)

I’m beginning to think that the original anime series had much better opening and ending themes, as what’s been brought into the bracket so far from the remake has not been bad to listen to, but doesn’t capture the same magical quality that many of the original themes did for me. I think that’s also probably because I finished the original, but barely started the remake. This is a solid rock song that I wouldn’t mind listening too more than once, but not one that I could put on repeat.

Ai wo Torimodose (Hokuto no Ken OP 1)

YOU WA SHOCK! Niche nostalgia abounds with this fiery, hot-blooded 80s rock staple. It doesn’t reach the highs of the previously noted “Odin”, but it tries to punch above its weight, and if there was a stronger backing instrumental track behind it, it would.

Which Do I Want to Win: Ai wo TorimodoseWhich Do I Think Will Win: PeriodWhy? Recency bias. As far as I know, there is only a subset of fans that know YOU WA SHOCK!, and those aren’t the fans that are participating in this tournament, sad to say.

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Again (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OP 1)

Like I mentioned one bracket over, this song for me suffers from lack of familiarity, though I’ve at least heard this song before. Here, YUI’s voice isn’t as strong as I’d like it to be throughout the whole rock song. I do like her fast lines before the chorus, but that’s not enough for me to vote for the song, depending on who this song is going against.

Hyadain no Joujou Yuujou (Nichijou OP 2)

This still has the zaniness that the first OP did in the earlier in the tournament, but I like this one a little better as I think this song has more a “classical” feel to it. I still think Hyadain is still too chaotic for a lot of people to vote for him (and his girl voice) in this tournament.

Which Do I Want to Win: Hyadain no Joujou YuujouWhich Do I Think Will Win: AgainWhy? Simplicity.

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Bouken Desho Desho? (The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi OP)

Like with “God Knows”, this is a song where I think nostalgia clouds over the actual quality of the song. Taken by itself, it’s a generic anime pop opening, but coupled with the opening sequence, at the time it was a magical thing.

No Pain, No Game (BTOOOM! OP)

I think this song suffers from the gratuitous English that makes the rock song sound a little tougher than it actually is. That being said, I like the main melody of the song, though it does get drowned out in the electronica suffusing it though.

Which Do I Want to Win: Bouken Desho Desho?Which Do I Think Will Win: Bouken Desho Desho?Why? Nostalgia bias, and that by itself will make this song ride for a couple of rounds, I think.

Like this:

Related

Could you elaborate a little more on what you mean by “Kourin’s voice is subdued in this song”? I feel like Aishiteiru has one of the most emotion-laden performances of the tournament. So I’m not sure what sense subdued is being used here.

“Subdued” is not the best term here, but that her timbre comes off to me as softer than other singers. And I listen to how the voice plays off the background music, where in this case, I feel that a “stronger” voice (like say, May’n for an way over the top example, but I hope you know what I’m getting at) would make me feel the emotion conveyed in the song more.

I see what you mean. That sometimes is all about the singer but that also sounds to me like sound mixing. Where certain sounds of the song have more emphasis and others are “buried in the mix”. The example that comes to mind for me is in “My Dearest” when everything plays together in the chorus Chelly’s voice actually seems the least pronounced element. The drums, strings, and piano are all more prominent during the chorus which I think may have been why some people felt it was just a bunch of noise when it first came out.